Contents

Title

Volta Outreach to Island Communities Expedition (VOICE)

Purpose and Approach

The Lawra Methodist Clinic and the Krachi-East District Health Directorate will work with Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) to promote HIV/AIDS awareness and education in rural Volta Lake communities that are not easily accessible through traditional overland means. These are remote and isolated island communities which have not really been target destinations for HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns. This is because the rainy season from April to October often floods the poor roads, making it difficult for people to travel on land; members of these small island communities have no other option than to board wooden canoes to the district capital of Dambai to sell or buy goods at the market, and access professional medical care.

Along with translator, Maclean Nudevu, navigator, Kwasi Matey, and resource person Madam Naawin Ziri, the PCVs and other counterparts will board a boat to the island communities located on the Volta Lake. The communities involved in this project are: Dambai, Mepekorpe, Yeji, Katanka, Kete Krachi, Paikatanga, Asukawkaw, Kwadjokrom, Nsuta, and Kpando.

In each community, the team will:
a) Sensitize and create HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention
b) Initiate discussions and activities that will promote the acceptance of PLWHA (A PLWHA will be part of the team)

Community counterparts and the Krachi-East District HIV/AIDS Coordinator will play leading roles in organizing the events and visits to the communities. The PCVs will be supportive as and when needed.

In conclusion, the project specifically seeks to promote the acceptance of Persons Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and will promote the interest and needs of these remote communities for future HIV/AIDS educational programs.

Objectives

Sensitize and create HIV/AIDS Awareness and Prevention among targeted communities

Provide information on basic facts about HIV/AIDS

Distribute condoms and educational resources

Promote the acceptance of People Living With HIV/AIDS

Introduce a PLWHA to share testimony with the targeted communities

Encourage healthy and cordial relationship between PLWHA and other community members

Encourage the targeted communities to buy products/item made by PLWHA

Inspire other people living with any kind of disability or illness.

Action Plan

Step

Task

Needed materials

Responsible parties

Estimated timetable

1

Plan boat route

Map

PCV, Counterpart & District Health Director

July

2

Buy supplies for participants

life jackets, food, tents, etc.

PCV and community counterpart

July

3

Arrange HIV/AIDS education materials

Journey of Hope (JOH) kits

PCV

August

4

Buy condoms

condoms

PCV

August

5

Boat safety maintenance

tools

Boat captain

August

6

Buy fuel

fuel

Boat captain

August

7

Pre-trip: HIV/AIDS coordinating session

Journey of Hope kits

Planning & Organizing Team

September

8

Pre-trip: Boat safety session

boat & lifejackets

Planning & Organizing Team

September

9

Boat launch

boat, supplies & materials

all participants

September

10

Outreach to 10 island communities

JOH kits, boat, supplies & materials

Planning & Organizing Team

September - October

Budget

Currency Exchange Rate: 1.49 Ghana Cedi = 1.00 US Dollar

Partnership Contribution

Material

Quantity

Unit Cost (Cedi)

Total Cost (Cedi)

Total Cost (USD)

Boat maintenance

1

200

200

134.23

Barrels of fuel

5

140

700

469.80

Tents

4

55

220

147.65

Rental of gas stove and fillers (for entire project period)

1

60

60

40.27

Honorarium for Community Health Nurse (for entire project period)

1

150

150

100.67

Honorarium for PLWHA

1

70

70

46.98

Honorarium of translator

1

50

50

33.56

Food for participants

4 people for 14 days

5/day

280

187.92

Boat driver fees

14 days

15/day

210

140.94

Rental of mattresses (for entire project period)

9

5

45

30.20

Sachet water

25

1

25

16.78

Total

2,010.00

1,349.00

Community Contribution

Material

Quantity

Unit Cost (Cedi)

Total Cost (Cedi)

Total Cost (USD)

Box of condoms

15

5

75

50.34

Boat usage

1

200

200

134.23

Lodging

8 people for 14 nights

45/night

630

422.82

Event organizers labor

10 people

10

100

67.11

Event venues

10 destinations

30

300

201.34

Total

1,305.00

875.84

Total Project Cost

% Contribution

Total Cost (Cedi)

Total Cost (USD)

Partnership Contribution

61

2,010.00

1,349.00

Community Contribution

39

1,305.00

875.84

Total Project Cost

3,315.00

2,224.87

Peace Corps Resources

Journey of Hope kit

Project Reflection and Sustainability

An instituted Planning Team will be responsible for ensuring that all project activities are implemented according to plan. The team will develop a list of questions that the project beneficiaries are expected to provide responses to after every community activity. The responses provided will give an idea as whether progress is being made or not.

As the project team moves from community to community, project activities will be monitored closely and it is hoped that the lessons learnt from earlier communities will be incorporated into the pending activities in the remaining communities.